Trails snowed over?
Then strap on some skiis!
Posted January 17th, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Paul Petersen
Section: Running & Training, Cross Training, Health & Fitness, Exercise
Since moving to northern Utah I’ve developed a bit of a trail running habit. During the summer months the local mountains frequently invite me onto their paths of dirt and rock, and I gladly accept. I love the adventure of trail running, and the vistas discovered through the thin air on peaks and ridges make my spirit soar. In comparison to road, track, or treadmill, my trail runs are not measured by speed or distance, but rather by vertical feet climbed, peaks bagged, and post-run calories consumed. Most trail runners would agree that leaving the roads and civilization behind opens a whole new aspect to our daily running and overall training.
But for those who dwell in the northern latitudes, precious trails become blanketed by several feet of snow and disappear from late fall to mid spring. We still need our backcountry fix, but the avenue to do so has disappeared…or has it?
Several years ago I took up backcountry skiing, in the form of both telemark and classic nordic styles. I was amazed at the destinations I could access on skis; the beauty of my favorite spots and of new destinations was sublime with its white winter coat. The silence of winter can be deafening, and the clearness of the cold blue sky against the pure snow is awe-inspiring. My sense of adventure originally fostered by trail running was restored.
Author Florence Page Jaques puts it perfectly in Snowshoe Country,
“I love the deep silence of the midwinter woods. It is a stillness you can rest your whole weight against … This silence is so profound you are sure it will hold and last.”
There are a variety of non-motorized winter backcountry travel types, and different styles will appeal to different people.
- “Classic” nordic skiing, better known as cross-country skiing, is the most accessible and fitness-oriented form of backcountry touring. This lightweight, kick-and-glide style features long, narrow skiis and a binding that attached to the boot only at the toe. It is suitable for flatter or more rolling topography.
- Telemark skiing features heavier, more parabolic skiis for steep terrain and carving turns. It is another form of “free heel” skiing, and the boot is attached to the binding with with a spring-loaded cable. Telemarking is known for its difficult but stylish method of turning.
- Alpine Touring (AT) skiing has a specific binding that accomodates both free-heel backcountry touring and also fixed-heel alpine-style turning. AT skis are often lighter than telemark setups, and are an instant attraction to people with alpine skiing backgrounds because they do not need to learn a new form of turning.
- Splitboards are snowboards that can be separated into two parts and used like skiis to tour and ascend hills, and can then be put back together for descents. They are often preferred by people with traditional snowboard backgrounds, and can also outperform skiis in some difficult snow conditions.
- Snowshoes are latticed footwear with a large surface area that enables the wearer to “float” on the snow surface. Modern snowshoes are made of light metal or plastic, and are ideal for runners or hikers who want light-weight, agile, winter backcountry travel. Snowshoes have an instant appeal to runners because of their low start-up cost, familiar strides, and availability of running snowshoes.
Not only do these forms of winter recreation foster the cure for wander-lust, but they are also excellent forms of crosstraining. Cross-country skiing rivals swimming and rowing as the “ultimate workout” by using every major muscle group and burning over 600 calories per hour. It is a great way to build aerobic fitness and strength without pounding, making it a suberb complement to running.
Ski touring will work the lungs and heart on the hike up and then blast the quads on the descent. In particular, telemark turns strongly resemble lunges, which strengthen and stretch the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. These can be weak areas on runners, particularly the quads, and development of these muscles can help prevent injury. In my own experience, I noticed an improvement of my patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee pain) during the months I was telemark skiing several times per week.
Like the summer backcountry, the winter backcountry can be a dangerous place, so it absolutely essential to be educated and well-prepared for travel. Most rules that apply to summer hiking and trail running travel apply to winter adventures as well, with a few new wrinkles. Skiiers should be adequately equipped with plenty of food, water, and layers of clothing for any weather conditions. Safety gear such as knee pads and a helmet are important precautions to help prevent bodily harm, and a probe, shovel, and radio transceiver (beacon) should always be carried. Avalanche education and good navigation skills are “must haves”. Finally, notifying others of your whereabouts and skiing in a group will help make your ski adventures less risky and more productive.
Additional resources: [Backcountrysafety.com], [ABC-of-Skiing], [Snowshoe Magazine]
Tags: adventure, Alpine touring, AT, backcountry, cross country, crosstraining, nordic, rowing, ski, snowshoe, splitboard, swimming, telemark, trail running, winter fitness, winter recreation
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